To my favorite honeydew, do you carrot all for me?
My heart beets for you,
with your turnip nose, and radish face.
You are a peach.
If we cantaloupe,
lettuce marry.
Weed make a swell pear!
-Author Unknown
Boy, it is hot outside! August is the warmest month of the year in many parts of the country. The one thing you don't want to be doing in the heat of the summer is cooking over a hot stove! The more you run the stove or oven, the hotter the house feels, and hot food just doesn't taste as good when the temperature soars above 90 degrees. The list of excuses for not cooking in the heat is a long one, but the fact remains that your family must eat. So, what is a homemaker to do?
Well, thankfully it is also peak vegetable season! Cold meals can be prepared easily in the summer, and they taste just as good, if not better, than any hot meal you could cook up! And just think of the nutritional benefits of eating raw! If you have the blessing of a kitchen garden, all the better. However, if you don't have a garden of your own, this is also the time for roadside farm stands and farmer's markets! In the Midwest, you don't have to drive far to come across some delicious, fresh produce for sale. Roadside stands are everywhere this time of year. They offer fresh, crimson red tomatoes, juicy melons, golden sweet corn, crispy green lettuce, crunchy cucumbers...you name it.
So, you have loaded up your basket from your own backyard garden or the local farmer's market. Now what? How do you prepare a decent cold meal? One that your husband and children won't balk at, that is?
For starters, everyone likes sandwiches. You can't go wrong with a good sandwich. Slice up those large, beefsteak tomatoes and sweet onions, chop up some cucumbers, wash and spin dry some lettuce, basil, and any other fresh herbs you have growing, and shred some cheese. You will need a crusty loaf of Italian bread, too. Blend a ranch, buttermilk or vinaigrette dressing, whichever you prefer. Now put together your cold sandwiches. If you would rather use mayo, go ahead. I prefer to top our sandwiches with a creamy dressing . It gives a unique flavor. Trust me, you won't even miss the meat, but if you need some more substance to your sandwich, try tuna or egg salad. Serve some sweet corn as a side dish. If you boil some water out on the grille, you can blanche the ears outside. The meal is complete with a serving of cold cottage cheese or pasta salad.
Speaking of pasta salad, a good thing to do in the summer is to make a large bowl of pasta salad and potato salad at the beginning of the week. You can serve these dishes throughout the week for lunch or dinner. They will keep nicely in a covered plastic dish in the refrigerator for a few days.
What about cold soups? Try peeling and chopping a few cucumbers, some fennel, mint, and chervil and combine them all in the food processor along with some salt, pepper and sugar or honey. Add two or three cups of buttermilk and a teaspoon or so of lemon juice. Refrigerate this for an hour or so and serve it well chilled, ladled into small bowls.
Everyone who has ever planted zucchini knows just how prolific this vegetable can be! One healthy plant can provide your family with an abundance! It is a blessing! Sliced zucchini can be added to pasta salad, added to egg salad, and grilled outside with butter, herbs and lemon juice. Using the outdoor grille is a great way to lightly cook veggies without overheating yourself or your house!
Make sure you treat your family to fresh melon this summer! Melons taste fantastic during the hottest days of the year. Take your children out to the picnic table, cut up a sweet, juicy melon into large triangle chunks and let them eat to their heart's content! They will have a ball spitting seeds. Seedless melons are common now, too, and are very nice for younger children to enjoy. Melons are full of nutritional value and are a fantastic way to keep those little ones hydrated during the summer heat. One large melon will serve several children an afternoon snack. If you do have leftovers, freeze seedless chunks and later on you can plunk them into the blender with a bit of sweetener, a dash of lime juice, and a sprig of fresh mint for a delicious frozen beverage that mom and dad can enjoy out on the porch swing after the children are tucked away for the night!
It is not as much of a challenge as you might think to cook cold during the summertime. Use your imagination and don't be afraid to experiment. Your family will reap the nutritional benefits and you will save yourself from slaving over a hot stove in the middle of a heat wave!
